Newsletter

Kingston, senators ask Obama for port funding

In a letter sent Monday to the White House, three members of Georgia’s congressional delegation strongly urged the president to make good on his “We Can’t Wait” pledge by including language that authorizes the revised cost of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project in his budget amendment to Congress.

U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson and Rep. Jack Kingston, of Georgia’s first congressional district, said in the letter they are concerned with the lack of support for the project in the fiscal year 2014 budget.

The president’s budget, released last month, allocated just $1.28 million for the harbor expansion project that is expected to cost $652 million.

Of more immediate concern is that there was no mention of adjusting a budget that was set some 14 years ago.

“That was particularly devastating,” Kingston said at the time. “We didn’t know how much money the project would get, but we didn’t think there would be a problem with adjusting the original budget.

When the project was originally approved by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, the expected funding level was set at $240 million.

But, because of the potential for extended studies and delays, a clause (902) was added to allow for a budget adjustment down the road, Kingston said.

“We really expected the president to authorize the 902 adjustment in his budget,” he said.

In the letter, Kingston and other members of the delegation ask the president to amend his budget request to include the 902 authorization, which would bring the project’s budget in line with the Record of Decision and allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction with state money already in place.

Without the 902 authorization, the Corps’ hands are tied.

Savannah and other ports on the East and Gulf coasts are racing to deepen their harbors to make room for the super-sized cargo ships expected to begin arriving in 2015 after the Panama Canal finishes a major expansion.

Last July, the president announced that seven “nationally and regionally significant infrastructure projects” at five major ports – including Savannah’s – would be put on a fast track designed to save time and drive better outcomes for local communities.

As part of its “We Can’t Wait” initiative, the White House said it would expedite Savannah’s deepening project and committed to having all federal reviews completed, with a Record of Decision coming no later than November.

Improvements at the ports of Miami, New York/New Jersey, Jacksonville, Fla., and Charleston, S.C., also would be expedited, the White House said.

Savannah’s port, already the fourth-largest in the country, is closest to completing its project.

Following is the text of the letter:

Dear Mr. President,

We are deeply concerned with your fiscal year 2014 budget requests’ lack of support for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). As you know, the Army Corps of Engineers’ General Re-evaluation Report calculates the national annual value of this project at $213 million in benefits. The same report shows that SHEP will create 11,554 jobs, over $551 million in labor income, and a gross regional value of over $794 million. In addition, SHEP boasts a very significant cost benefit ratio of 5.5:1. With the forthcoming expansion of the Panama Canal, additional U.S. ports capable of receiving Post-Panamax ships are critical for the economic wellbeing and competitiveness of our nation.

During your Presidential campaign last July, you illustrated understanding of the outstanding benefits this project provides when you listed the Port of Savannah as one of five “We Can’t Wait” projects. We are disappointed that your support for this vital project has seemingly waned this year.

As you may know, SHEP has been a bipartisan effort at the federal, state, and local level. We, along with full Georgia Congressional Delegation and Mayor Reed, have voiced to you support for SHEP numerous times. Additionally, the State of Georgia has exceeded their cost-share requirement by identifying $231 million for SHEP and Congress has appropriated construction funds for the last five fiscal years. However, because of the lack of support in your budget, both state and federal contributions sit idle and progress has slowed. SHEP is seeing day-for-day delay in construction and the $174 million of annual net benefits to the nation are not being realized.

We urge you to fulfill your “We Can’t Wait” promise and include legislative language for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project authorization increase in your budget amendment to Congress. This is a vital project for Georgia, for the Southeast, and for the nation.

Sincerely,

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston

KINGSTON PLANS TALK

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. Thursday in Savannah. Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford declined Tuesday to divulge the reason for the press conference, but Kingston has spent much of the past two months traversing the state to determine what level of interest and support exists for his possible candidacy in the 2014 election to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. Also, the press conference is scheduled one day ahead of Kingston’s private fundraising event set for Friday evening at Savannah’s Mulberry Inn on East Bay Street.